How toxic is your environment?

The word "toxic" in this sense relates to air pollution, cleaning chemicals, non-organic foods and pestisides, stressful work, illness, stressful home life, negative relationships and so on.

Whether the toxin is chemical, emotional or stress related, this ALL affects your bodies biochemistry all the way down to the DNA in each of your cells. 

When your body is under toxic stress of any kind, your cells get bombarded with signals causing them to react and change. This can affect your bodies biochemistry and physiology greatly. Many types of toxins can cause what is called "oxidative stress" to your cells. This causes them to be damaged and vulnerable to invading organisms or other toxins. Over time, these can be contributing factors to chronic disease such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease and much more. 

So what does this mean to your health and how can it be avoided?

Eat organic food. Organic foods are grown without pesticides and are jam packed with vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals. These all protect your cells and help your body function at it's best! Many people think it's very expensive to eat healthy and they can't afford it. But think about it this way, you can't afford not to! Think of the money you spend on healthy food as an investment. It will save you money in the long run on medications and doctors visits by being proactive about your health. 

Drink filtered water instead of tap or bottle water. Bottle water is kept in plastic bottles which contains BPA (Bisphenol A). This substance when ingested is linked to endocrine system disruption, which basically means your natural hormone system is modified. This is particularly bad when the bottled water is left in the sun, more BPA gets released into the bottle. Invest in a good filter and a non-plastic water bottle to carry with you. 

Ditch the microwave. Microwave radiation is not only toxic to our cells, but if you read the last blurb about plastic, than you can understand that the BPA is not only present, but now getting heated and leaking into your food. On top of this, microwaving food can significantly decrease the nutritional value in your food. Fire up that oven or pull out those old fashioned non-teflon pans with a dash of extra virgin olive oil to heat up your foods. You will get much more taste and nutrition in reheats!

Take a good multivitamin. The use of a daily multivitamin will help provide anti-oxidants to your cells. This helps protect them from "oxidative stress" so they do not get damaged. 

Clean with gloves on and windows open. Toxins aren't just absorbed by inhalation and ingestion, they can seep right through the skin. Before you start spraying the Clorox and harsh chemicals, protect yourself! Get as much ventilation as possible and use gloves so you will not absorb any toxins. Clean with natural products as much as possible. You can find organic cleaning agents at your natural food stores (, Nature's Goodness) 

Do a nutritional detox. From the amount of toxic exposure we experience, a nutritional detox is a great reset button for your health. However, there is a right way and a wrong way. Doing a detox incorrectly can be more detrimental than helpful. Dr. Kosciusko offers a high quality detoxifcation program using "medical foods" that are highly researched, in addition to proper liver and kidney support. 

Stay positive. Food and chemicals are not the only toxin exposure we experience. Sometimes our relationships can be "toxic." All of us have people in our lives that can be negative, unappreciative, and cause us heart ache and stress. Over time, this can have severe detriment to our physical health. Stay positive and try to surround yourself with love and those who support you. Meditation, yoga, and soothing music can provide relaxation to your nervous system and keep you in a healthier physical state. 

Curious about what your environmental toxicity is? Visit www.Scorecard.org to check your county for environmental toxin level. If you would like to learn more about healthy ways to protect your body or do a detoxification program, contact Dr. Kosciusko at 401-683-6430 or visit us at www.newhorizonchiro.com.